Helping Sponsors Be Successful

We tend to think of sponsors only as sources of money, but we have to think long term - will they get enough value from the event to sponsor again next year? Here are some thoughts on how to make it work for them.

They want to show their product and build their mailing list, keep that end game in mind

Really encourage them to provide a flyer to put in the event bag. The pick up rate for flyers on a table is very low. Putting them in the bag means the attendee has something to look at while waiting on a session to start. Cheap for sponsors, easy for events to support. Ask them to include a discount code or other offer on the flyer, or refer to their raffle item.

If you're doing event t-shirts, put logos from your top sponsors on the back.

Be sure to include them in your event guide. Give the top sponsors a full page (can be same as flyer).

Consider offering your top sponsors the chance to do a lunch time presentation, or to do a true product demo on sponsor session or track (just make sure attendees can tell it's absolutely about their product).

Raffle items combined with pre-printed raffle tickets is a great way for them to build their list. Push on them to come up with a gift that geeks will salivate over - free software is ok, Xbox/GPS/etc usually does better

Be sure to remind the attendees several times about the event being sponsor supported, and call out the sponsors by name (especially if you do a keynote)